Hushai the Arkite

Mind you, I think it is a tough name to lay on a child and it isn’t exactly the easiest name for a westerner to pronounce. But you have to like this guy.

You’ll find him in 2 Samuel 15.

Here’s the scenario when he steps into the drama:
David’s son Absalom has just incited open rebellion against his father. Dad is on the run, fleeing for his life, making an embarrassing “exit stage left.” It seems to be the end of the world for the glory that revolved around the brilliant King David.

As he’s heading out of Dodge (well, Jerusalem), Hushai the Arkite meets him. Hushai is one of David’s closest counselors and is all torn up about this turn of events. He wants to flee with David, but David gives him a secret, undercover mission — go back to the palace and pretend to have defected to Absalom. Be my undercover agent, feed me information and disrupt the chain of command and internal workings of Absalom’s new cabinet.

This isn’t a simple request. It basically puts Hushai in a position that, if found out, will give meaning to the expression, “off with his head!” He would be tortured first, then executed in an unpleasant manner.

He does exactly that.

This got me to thinking, am I always open to what God wants me to do or am I caught up in what I want to do? My way is usually less problematic; Hushai thought that running away with David was what he should do. What God wanted was more dangerous; it almost always is.

Today isn’t that old but has brought multiple opportunities to sit down and ponder if I am doing what God wants or what I prefer. Hushai the Arkite wasn’t on my agenda just for interesting reading or by coincidence, the Creator of the Universe placed it there to grease the wheels of my mental ruminations.

The question becomes, do I do the “Hushai thing” or do I do my thing? Sheesh! Sometimes I feel like I’m on a game show – the clock is ticking, the jeopardy music is playing, and I have to make decisions based on what is sitting on the table in front of me. What would Hushai the Arkite do?

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One response to “Hushai the Arkite”

Excellent thought! Also, in I Chronicles 27:33 it mentions, after a long list of all the powerful people around David, that Hushai was just David’s friend. I ask myself the question, “Do I long to be some high-powered minister of the Gospel, or is it good enough to just be God’s friend?”.